


Angel, would you be free tonight?

by Ferairia123



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Anathema's mother is also an occultist, Aziraphale pulls rank, Aziraphale to the Rescue (Good Omens), Church deconsecration, Crowley to the Rescue (Good Omens), Demon vs. Guardian Angel Showdown, Dual Sword Crowley, Gen, Guardian Angel, Heretic!OC, Hurt Madam Tracy, No beta we vaguely saunter down like Crowley, Past seances, Past witchcraft, Protective Crowley, Torture, Unsuccessful robbery, don't worry it's a happy ending, miscommunications
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-26 21:50:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20937296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ferairia123/pseuds/Ferairia123
Summary: Crowley had unsuccessfully tried to 'obtain' a powerful grimoire from Anathema's mother and proceeded to tempt Aziraphale to do the same. However, he had already did his attempt and found that he could obtain it another way.Frustrated at the futility of his attempts, he and Aziraphale drowns themselves in wine and self-pity.Too drunk and still sad about the robbery attempt, Crowley spends the night at the bookshop.It might have been fate that he was to spend the night there.A shout for his name and he was faced with a similar situation but an unlikely conclusion.Continuation ofSpells are not the solution to dying plants





	Angel, would you be free tonight?

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning for torture and religious themed purification (? Not sure what to classify this as). 
> 
> Ok, to be honest I was wracked with anxiety over this. It started small and it just grew. At one point, I accidentally deleted most of it but managed to salvaged part of it, enough to rewrite the whole thing back. 
> 
> Long story, short. I'm sharing this before I decide to hide it from the world....And I should be finishing my other fic.
> 
> Edit : I'm not Christian but I did do some read up. I might be wrong in some places though. Come to think it, I should have put this earlier. Humblest apologies.   
Happy reading!

Crowley had been gone awhile without so much as a hello. Aziraphale was somewhat worried but he can still sense the wily demon.

By the tenth day, he was agonizing over the phone. He could pretend to ask for something important or even for another lunch or dinner date. But the demon might be on something important and he'll ruin it like those comedy of error spy movies. He prayed that he was doing the right thing as he hovered over the phone. Forcing himself to reach for the receiver only for it to ring.

It seemed that his anxieties were all for naught as God had answered his prayers. He nearly dropped the phone on his first try to pick it up.

“Angel!” Came Crowley’s tensed but still jovial voice. "Would you be free tonight?" 

Aziraphale paused for a second as he made a few guesses on why he sounded like that. “Are you driving, my dear boy?” He asked in slight alarm.

"Now, now, Aziraphale. Let's not get sidetracked. I'd really like some good wine while I tell you about this." He said almost tersely. "It been an annoyingly long day." He hissed. 

Aziraphale huffed at that. Knowing when to quit is one of the virtues to be learnt with the demon. "Very well. I'll expect you at 8.00pm."

"Cool. See you later, Angel." Crowley said before he abruptly hanged the phone.

Aziraphale was halfway wishing him a safe journey but the line was already out. He's probably miffed at having his plans thwarted or misled or...something.

At that, he hoped that it wasn't anything major.

\---

8.00 pm rolled by but it was until 5 minutes later that he arrived. Crowley was behaving very much like his demon self.

A crate of wine was cracked open as they started. Apparently, Crowley tried to steal Agrippa's grimoire from Anathema's mother. He recounted his trip there, expecting a humble hovel only to find an expensive and exclusive bungalow built tastefully into a green hill.

"Was that where you've been all this time?" Aziraphale asked incredulously as he poured the wine.

"It was demon proof, I tell you." He told Aziraphale, ignoring the question. "Short of using holy water and blessed objects." He said as he gestured wildly before pausing for a short moment. "Though, I never got close enough to see." He added as an afterthought. He decided to move to one of the sofas. 

"Anyway, I tried just going in, I was repelled. I. Was. Repelled!" He raved indignantly in his seat. 

Aziraphale gave an impressed raise of his eyebrows as he listened.

"I thought 'Alright, maybe I've underestimated her.' It's just something natural that witches would know repelling. So, I tried possessing the delivery man. It didn't work either because he snapped out of it once he was on the compound. Then, it was an old lady. I tried to get her to come out by making her call the lady out." He hissed petulantly. "It worked but I couldn't get in anyway."

"What happened to the old lady?"

He groaned, taking of his glasses to pinch the pained furrow at the nose bridge. " The old lady had a curse on her. Once she broke my mind possession, she also broke the curse. The old lady was all _dandy_. She even gave her prayers for protection and wellbeing." He said forlornly.

"Oh, that's simply wonderful." Aziraphale cooed happily, the drunken flush was already visible on him, raising his glass to cheer to that.

"What kind of witch doles out prayers?" He said in an upset tone. "Witch and prayers don't match up!"

"Now, now Crowley. Maybe she isn't a witch. Anathema herself is an occultist." Aziraphale placated.

He gave him a look of confusion. "Well, yeah. Ok. Occultist but the book is still with her, Angel." He gruffly said before growling at the angel's apathy. "Come on, Angel. You have to help me get it. What if she uses it and get ourselves in trouble with Beelzebub or Hastur or Asmodeus?" He pleaded to the Principality. 

Aziraphale huffed reluctantly at that. "Well, that would certainly be a problem." He said rather tersely. "But-but stealing is bad and highly unnecessarily." He said with a nod and a delicate sniff.

Seeing this, the demon tried again. "But it's Agrippa's Grimoire! Not only it's dangerous for humans but it's a rare book. A book that escaped countless of book burnings throughout the ages." He said with a flourished wave. "And-and..." He paused trying to take another gulp of wine only to be disappointed. 

Aziraphale was already busying himself with another pour but asked nonetheless. "And?"

"Well, what if someone accidentally lost their souls to it? You know how clumsy spells are and stuff." He said as he miracles himself a bottle and willed the cork to perfectly pop off before drinking straight from it. "Or their lives. Or someone's child or virgins. You know, all those stuffs they tried before." He knows that this particular angel was always weak to callings of doing good.

Aziraphale shuddered at it. Indeed, he knew. More than once he was ordered to intervene and sometimes, he was forced to let it play through before saving their souls. "Urgh, simply horrid."

"Don't remind me. So, what's your verdict, angel?" He remained neutral, not wanting to push it. He may be drunk but tempting was his field.

"It is still a no, demon." He said rather casually, staring back at the demon.

At that, the said demon almost pouted before he caught himself. But there was something wrong. Something was off. "How are you so..so..?"

Realizing his mistake, he broke the eye contact and nervously fidget with his drink. "Nothing." He said quickly. "Ste-stealing is bad after all. I wouldn't like it if it got stolen from me, too."

The demon's eyebrow rose to his hairline while his eyes and the slits of his eyes widen out of curiousity.

In his effort to not fidget under his gaze, he literally used some divine power to not move an inch. 

That forced inaction was even more suspicious.

"Angel, did you do something?" He asked, sensing the angel had indeed done something pertaining to this and may have failed. For some reason he felt incredibly amused.

Aziraphale contemplated on telling him the truth or simply shrugging it off before he wound up on denying it outright.

"Nothing. I simply said it was wrong."

Crowley tried to keep his knowing grin from getting out but the wine was not helping. He ended with wibbling lips. This is nowhere as bad as him trying to hide the sword thing but it is amusing.

There was a moment where everything stayed still, waiting for the other to react. 

It was then that Aziraphale gave a long suffering sigh as Crowley ended guffawing hard. Pouring himself another cup, he ignored the cackling demon.

"What did you do, Aziraphale?" He asked as he recovered. "Did you try to steal it, too?"

"No such thing, thank you." He replied snootily. " I tried to buy it off but she refused."

"A much more sensible choice." He agreed as he abandoned the glass carefully on the floor and took a swig from the bottle. 

"Obviously." He answered back as he winced at the sight of Crowley drinking straight from the bottle.

"I actually thought of doing the switcharoo. It may be demonproofed. But would it be angelproofed?" 

The angel shrugged. "I've been repelled before. I supposed, if she is indeed wise enough, she would have "angelproof" the house as well."

The demon nodded thoughtfully at that. "I suppose, you wouldn't know until you try." 

Aziraphale gave a disapproving wave. "I will not."

"Aziraphale. Really?"

"Before you say anything else, I'll say this. The book has been in her family for generations and the only ones reading it are herself and Anathema. Probably, it will continue so. I consider Anathema and myself good friends and should it come to her possession one day, I'm sure she would simply give it to me as she has most of her precious books in those computers in a square tablet. I'm naturally a book preserver. She would want the book to be preserved." He gave a pointed look at the demon. "Thus, no such...measures are required of me."

Disappointed, the demon collapsed into his chair. "I did all that for nothing."

Feeling sympathetic to the demon's plight, he got up from his chair and reached for another bottle of wine. "If it's any consolation, there's more wine to be had and you're free to spend the night here."

\----

Madam Tracy had been going to church more often now, at their new home. After being possessed by a literal angel, saw a demon, the Antichrist, Satan and the stopping of Armageddon, it’ll be a lie to say that her faith hadn’t been reinforced, if not restored.

Plus, the vicar was a bright young thing that she couldn’t help but fawn over maternally.

At first, Shadwell had been jealous but after seeing the man for himself and understanding that Madam Tracy’s affection are strictly maternal, even he was smitten, in a paternal way. Both of them volunteered to help about the modest church.

When he had an offere to transfer to America, he jumped at it. They were sad to see him go but proud enough to know this is a good opportunity for experience and development. As matter of fact, they even helped him.

The new vicar will arrive in a few days. Naturally, some of the volunteers, mostly office hours people, wanted to give the vicarage a dusting before the new vicar comes in.

Shadwell is a lark than an owl, thus sat that one out as Madam Tracy went out.

What she didn’t expect was being knocked over the head and woke up strung from the rafters of the church with Alice, a lady as old as she was, with a cat of nine tails and trying to force her to confess that she is a witch and blamed her as the cause of the vicar’s transfer.

Madam Tracy tried to explain but she claimed that the vicar’s mission was to exorcise witches and he failed. If she could do it, the vicar will come back. There was no way to explain to her as she shuts out Madam Tracy and started lashing her.

As the cat was being used in its original purpose, it didn’t take long before she was confessing and begging it to stop. Unfortunately, Alice wasn’t entirely convinced, even as Madam Tracy started to scream and cry.

Madam Tracy knew that she was going to die and no one would find her. The church was remote, he told Shadwell she would be coming home late and church grounds had a small forest. The fear had gripped her entirely.

She prayed for someone to save her. If not, at least spare her from the pain. Her arms were starting to feel numb; she was gasping for breath and her vision was starting to have black spots. Her body was starting to feel feverish from the pain. She knew she didn’t have long.

‘Madam Tracy!’ Shouted a familiar voice. She doesn’t know where it came from but the next blow made her scream out again. She sobbed hard at the pain. “Oh god, please stop!”

‘Hold on, I got you.’ Said the familiar voice again but this time, there was a familiar feeling as well. Her body jolted for a bit before the next lash came and she screamed again. Or rather her body did. The pain was non-existent now.

“Please stop. Why are you doing this?” She heard herself speak but it wasn’t herself. Her eyes were darting all over the place as she gathered herself.

‘Mr. Fell, is that you?’ She asked weakly. But her voice was muted, in her mind.

‘Yes, Madam Tracy. Worry not, I’ll take care of this.’ He said as the next blow made him scream in her voice. ‘Rest now, dear. You deserved it.’ He comforted as her body tried to string more words. “Ple-please! No!”

Overwhelmingly relieved, she would have sagged down if she was on her feet. ‘Thank you.’ She said as she blacked out.

Now that Aziraphale was in her for real, the pain was bringing tears to his eyes as the memories of events flooded him.

“I already confessed I’m a witch.” He reasoned with her. “Please let me go, Alice.” He pleaded.

If this was in the 16th century, he can expect a bonfire waiting for him. Thankfully, it’s the 21th century and he’s in luck for that. Unfortunately, the sigil below him is an effective ensnaring sigil that works on all intangible beings. Whoever taught her this, knew her stuff. He couldn’t even use his ethereal powers here.

He was starting to panic. He didn’t have much time before the transfer from his original corporation is complete. Thinking quick, he reached out to his corporation again and called out to Crowley.

\----

Perhaps, it was by fate that Crowley was to spend the night there. After wallowing in self-pity and a lot of wine, Crowley had fallen asleep as Aziraphale cleaned up. The sofa he was laying was morphed into a sofa bed with a comfy throw blanket to go with it.

"Crowley!" Aziraphale shouted, rasping for breath as he more or less crawled to Crowley's sofabed.

Seeing the angel in such condition, he jumped out of his bed. "Aziraphale-"

"Madam Tracy-" Another hard rasp of breath. "Save her. I need to- I can't-" He painfully grabbed Crowley's arm as he struggled to speak. He is waning. Crowley can't explain it but he is waning in his arms. "-there. Sav-save her."

Before Crowley could even say a word, he was gone. His body was limp in his arms, breathing and functioning but Aziraphale was not in it. In his panic, he sensed for him in the world and thankfully he was still on it.

Quickly waving a protective barrier on it, he willed himself to wherever Madam Tracy was. Praying that he'll find Aziraphale. Or else, someone is going to pay.

\---

Perhaps, Crowley should have thought this through. The moment he jumped to this spot, his feet was instantly in pain. That caused him to trip over and more sharp gravel feeling flooded his senses, making him yowl in pain, squirming trying to get up. However, his instincts instantly flared when he sensed more than saw the smiting grace coming at him. He quickly conjured a shield and the resulting clash had caused a small explosion that threw him and the other guys away from each other.

When he gotten his senses back, all that he can registered is more pain. His instincts are yelling at him to get up quick as he heard someone yelled “Finally!”

Bearing with the pain that was now concentrated in his foot rather than his whole body, he focused on the source of the smiting grace.

The angel, a guardian angel at that, was pulling himself out of the remains of a pew at the opposite side.

Taking in his surroundings, he saw someone strung up from the rafters with rope and an elderly lady who was watching them with interest. The hanging person was facing away from them but Crowley could sense that Aziraphale was there. The next thing that struck him was the bleeding lashes. He thought it was stripes but it was actually wounds.

“You are a true witch and your demonic pet has come for you.” Crowley heard her say to the person. “It’s not going to be long now. We’ll have you exorcised soon. My guardian angel is already here.” She said as she dropped the cat and took a small bottle of water to spritz the body that had Aziraphale.

“Is that holy water?” Aziraphale asked distractedly before hissing as a particularly hard spritz had water getting into the wounds.

His attention was then shifted to the guardian angel who finally managed to extricate himself from the rubble with a groan, still getting his balance.

“Yes.” He heard the old lady said benevolently. “Soon, it’ll be over and Father Sidney can return here.”

He doesn’t know what the hell is going on but he knows that the old lady area is to be avoided until all the holy water is gone. Plus, it too close to the holy effigies anyway.

“I am not a witch!” He heard Aziraphale begged. “I swear to God, I’m not a witch. Just let me go, Alice. Please!” He cried, weakly struggling with the rope.

The old lady, Alice, actually giggled at his pleas before kneeling to pray at the effigy. There’s a story behind this one and he’s sure it’s not a happy one.

“Demon, I have come to dispatch thee.” Declared the guardian angel, finally getting his bearings as he pulled himself to his full height to face him.

Crowley, huffed as he sized up the guardian angel in full. These guys are not one to talk and deal. They smite the threats and that’s it. That’s the whole job description.

This is why demonic possession is highly impractical. Once these guys get wind of it, there will be smiting. He’s seen it a few times, too. Too bad it wasn’t the bigger ones or the ones that he hated. Pity Murmur wasn’t exorcised. He was always a right pain in the arse in meetings.

Now, squaring off with one, he conjured a sword as did the guardian angel who was giving him a dismissive look. He briefly thought of using guns with hellfire bullets but those are temperamental at best.

“I shall smite ye into the ground.” He declared again as he jumped and came down on him with the sword over his head.

“Careful!” He heard someone shouted as he gracefully sidesteps and gave a distracting swing at the guardian angel so that he could escape the arcing of the angel’s sword. Whoever it is, probably Aziraphale, was ruining his concentration.

“Not helping!” He shouted back as he sidesteps the next blow and destroys what remains of a pew there, he swung at the angel then only for him to jump away and into a nearby table, crushing it. The fight continued with close calls in the tight space. The church was being demolished from the inside.

Bit by bit, the pain in Crowley’s feet was decreasing. The church was being deconsecrated as they fought. Thinking of this, he might just be able to escape the church with Aziraphale and Madam Tracy. He just needs to destroy it a bit further and get close enough to grab them and run.

Aziraphale tried to move around to see all the noise but the pain was too much. Alice duly ignore everything as she prayed.

Trying out his other eyes, Aziraphale was relieved to know he was able to see the back of his head.

He gasped at the sight. Splintered wood, broken glass, tattered pages, cracked plaster, singe marks and deformed objects. The two combatants weren’t all unscathed either. Both of them had cuts and oozing blood in various places. It was wrong. It was just so wrong.

Just then, he had an idea. “Stop it, please!” He shouted. “Don’t destroy the church. It’s wrong. Just kill me!”

At that, all of them froze. Crowley was alarmed, the guardian angel was puzzled and Alice whipped about at him in surprise.

“If I’m really a witch, kill me. If you kill the demon now, I’ll just summon another one.” He reasoned desperately. “And-and if I’m a witch, exorcising me wouldn’t mean a thing because I’m not possessed!”

Crowley had half a mind to shout at him to stop but the sight of the sigil made him freeze again. This is tricky.

Alice faced Madam Tracy, her face grim and determined. “You may not remember me but I went to your seances, Madam Tracy. A long time ago.” She said calmly. “Afterwards, I began to practice witchcraft and summon demons to do my bidding.” Her tone became darker. “Only to find the price was torture and driven half mad before God answered my prayers and granted me deliverance.” A look of relief passed her features.

“After all the demons were smitten by my guardian angel, I was exorcised to rid myself of all of my demonic attachments.” She came a step closer. “That’s how I was freed from my demons and found my faith again.”

“I knew you were a witch. I’ve seen you talk with the dead. Father Sidney’s mission was to recover you and exorcise your demons.” She said confidently.

Aziraphale found it hard to explain to her that Madam Tracy was a fraudster. Aziraphale knew she was talking about the truth and to tell her who Madam Tracy was would have made things worse. She was already unstable. Whether or not that was Father Sidney’s mission, he’ll never know but this has to stop.

She gave a Madam Tracy a sharp glare before continuing. “Father Sidney was smothered in your wiles but I will not.” She declared. “I will have you exorcised before dawn.” She said before she turned her back again and kneeled to pray in front of the crucified effigy.

“Hear that, fiend?” The guardian angel confidently said as he returned to his task. “I have until dawn to smite ye.” He jumped again; his sword high above his head.

Crowley was getting tired and terribly annoyed. Instead of sidestepping again, he erupted in a pillar of hellfire with a roar.

The roof was burnt off, everything else toppled over or fell, even the guardian angel and Madam Tracy’s body.

“Here I wassss playing nicccee.” His words were getting sibilant as the guardian angel got back to his feet, sword in front of him as a shield. His clothes were now covered with soot and sulphur. Crowley conjured another sword in his other hand. “Let’sss end thiss.”

“As you say, serpent!” The guardian angel declared valiantly as he fought him again.

Unfortunately for Aziraphale, he was busy trying to save Alice. He was finally free from the sigil when the body fell on top of the salt made sigil (yes, that stung a lot) but hellfire was not kind to non-demonic creatures.

Aziraphale was able to regenerate from his injuries the instant the sigil broke. Alice, on the other hand, had third degree burns at her back with her melting clothes in it. He’s partly thankful that Alice was knocked out and not feeling it. She would have been screaming and squirming as he healed her.

The battle waged on but now there were animalistic and booming roaring and grunts with the bang of exploding hellfire ball and angelic shields. It was terribly showy and not very much purposeful.

“Iss that anger, I ssssee?” Crowley taunted. He hasn’t had a full fight in a very long while. He is going to enjoy this one. “Sssssiiinnnn.”

“Nay, trickster.” The guardian angel retorted. “I will not be swayed by thy lies.” He said as they traded blows.

Crowley chuckled. “Oh dear, pride? Twoo ssiinss.”

“Tempt me to fall, wily serpent, and ye shall fail!”

Aziraphale had to give a protective blessing on the lady after dragging her behind the toppled mobile lectern for cover. Once done, he righted himself up and marched into the battle zone with his wings out as protection.

“That is enough!” Aziraphale shouted in Enochian, his wing flared at his back before settling down.

Both of them stopped. Crowley did so out of surprise and tripped over while the guardian angel was stunned.

“Your duty here is done. You need to see your charge back home safely.” Aziraphale told him, stern and hard like a commanding officer would to his subordinate. “Not only her life should be guarded but her faith as well. She is a heretic and needs guidance back to the right path.”

The guardian angel was now confused, too. “Sir, but there’s a demon in our midst.” He threw a dirty look as Crowley. “For destroying the house of the Lord, he should be smited.”

“Hey, you started this!” Crowley refuted, trying to get back on his feet at the same time. Alarmed, the guardian angel also had his sword raised again.

He sent Crowley a sharp glare as if he had stolen his best dessert to shut him up before he dealt with the angel again. “The demon will go away once the church is rebuilt.” Aziraphale, now back to his soft self but his wings was still out. He reached out to give him a pat on the shoulder and a kind smile. “Your charge needs you now. Please see to her.”

Backing away to give him space to move amongst the rubble, the guardian angel stared at him before staring at the demon still on the floor and back to Aziraphale.

“I was ordered to descend to dispatch demons.” He reiterated his orders. “I can’t simply leave him.”

Aziraphale was getting anxious, the guardian angel is being stubborn. Sighing, he gave the guardian angel a tired smile. “I am Aziraphale. A principality of the Lord. I was tasked to save this lady, Madam Tracy’s life and right what was wrong.” He fibbed. Thankfully, he had enough orders to replicate one at ease. “I am surprised to see not one but two lambs of the Lord in trouble. Alice has become heretic and she needs to be guided back to the right path. Please see her home safely while I deal with this.” He said as he gestured at Crowley only for Crowley to give him a warning shake of his head.

Looking back to the guardian angel, he looked at him suspiciously. “I am Islisel, an angel of the Lord.” He introduced himself. “How does a Principality of the Lord exist in this plane?” He asked cautiously.

“I was ordered to descend into this vessel.” He explained calmly and confidently. “What the Lord wills, that is what will be.” He said calmly. “Now, put away your smiting equipment. I will deal with the fiend instead. I will be reporting this Upstairs and I will put you in it, if you don’t comply.”

There was a silent standoff. That was the ethereal version of pulling rank. Instead walking away or returning to his post in heaven, Islisel tried to smite Aziraphale in Madam Tracy’s body.

At that, Crowley acted quick by grabbing a nearby stake and threw it at its neck with a bit of demonic miracle to make sure it didn’t miss.

Islisel’s body immediately became limp as the stake cuts all the nerves and he discorporated into light and stardust.

For a moment nothing moved as Aziraphale stayed stunned and Crowley got up to his feet. The danger has passed but the silence was heavy.

Crowley didn’t dare to look at Aziraphale’s face. He didn’t think he could bear to see the mournful shock on Aziraphale face at discorporating one of his brethren right in front of his face. Or the fear.

Had it been before the cancelled Armageddon, he would have brushed it off, even becoming proud of it. But now…Seeing his best friend fearful of him, like how all the humans had, was almost unbearable.

Aziraphale on the other hand, once the shock had worn off, felt anxious once again. He had regarded the demon with slurs. Crowley was not one to show hurt but he can sulk for a long while. The guilt made Aziraphale feel bad, indeed. The fact that Crowley hadn’t once looked at him, only solidified his suspicions.

Crowley walked up to the toppled lectern and carried the unconscious Alice to the path outside of the church.

Realising he was standing around doing nothing, Aziraphale quickly got to the business of restoring the church into its original state.

When they reached the bookstore, it was already bright. Aziraphale tried to strike up a conversation during the drive there but Crowley was…less than responsive. Not only that he had his glasses back on, he was facing away from Aziraphale’s sight. Aziraphale despaired.

“Crowley, could you please keep me accompanied while I recorporate?” Aziraphale forced out timidly. The silence during the ride was bad but that is not going to stop him trying to fix things. To do that, he will need his body back and a drink to steel himself…or numb the fallout later.

“Yeah.” Crowley said reluctantly. “I had put a barrier over it anyway. Probably need me to sort that out.”

Madam Tracy was appropriately dealt with and returned to Shadwell in one piece. She had been explained to and resolved any issues with it after being blessed by Aziraphale. The poor lady will probably lay off the… equipments for time being.

Now Crowley and Aziraphale was at the den area. Instead of the usual wine, he had gotten out whiskey. It was a subdued affair.

“That was..” Aziraphale began.

“A night.”

“Not a good one, though.”

Crowley lets a huff of laughter passed. “You can say that again.” He took another drink of his whiskey before facing Aziraphale seriously. His eyes were full snake, a testament of how pressured he was. “I know you won’t agree to what I did earlier. But I will not apologize for that one.”

Aziraphale was struck speechless. Crowley was worried of what he might think?

Taking the quiet as some kind of damning decision on his part, Crowley lets out another huff and miracle himself the whiskey in his tumbler to fill to the brim. “Blame me all you like but you two would have been discorporated.” He said defensively, taking a bigger gulp of his whiskey. He’s going to need that boost from the alcohol.

Realizing his mistake, Aziraphale quickly placated. “No, no, my boy. I wanted to apologize for all those slurs I called you.” He immediately stood in front of him. “And-and how I regarded you.” He said guiltily. At that, Crowley stared him, his face unreadable.

Aziraphale gave him a weak smile before breaking his eye contact and stared at his whiskey tumbler guiltily. “It was the only way I could think to convince Islisel. If I hadn’t, you could have smitten.” He said softly.

Crowley was confused at first before he registered what he had said. He started with a small laugh that built up to a proper laugh. Aziraphale had joined midway, looking relieved.

“Aren’t we a mess?” Crowley declared.

“Is it safe to assume there’s been a…miscommunication?” Aziraphale asked as he made his way to his chair opposite of the demon.

“Sure as hell, there was.” Crowley said as he took a sip of his whiskey. “When you stood there, stunned, I thought you were mourning for your brethren.” Crowley explained himself. “You angels are always one for avenging justice and all. I thought you were going to hate or fear me.”

Aziraphale giggled at that, flushing from the laugh and whiskey. “That would be true if you wiped him out with hellfire.” He said, a touch seriously. “I knew you purposely discorporated him with the stake rather than burn him with hellfire. As matter of fact, is it right to assume that you made such displays of a fight to either-“ He held out one finger. “One, to buy time for me to escape?” Another finger went up. “Or two, distract him long enough to steal us away?”

Crowley scowled at that. It was true. Though, on both accounts, if he tried, he could have been trapped with him because of the sigil. So technically, it was just pure dumb luck they managed to get out of there. “Whatever, Angel.” He said petulantly before he took another swig. It was stupid and really not cool. And he was figured out by Aziraphale, too.

“You really are a nice demon.” Aziraphale said dreamily, taking a drink from his tumbler.

“And you’re quite a bastard yourself with all that slurs.” He countered, flushing from his drink, feeling the welcoming heat and the bite of the alcohol at the back of his throat.

Aziraphale looked chastened at that.

Crowley shook his head at his reaction. “You should have listened to Islisel. He had a lot more to say if I had more time with him.” He told him. “If anything, you were being careful, weren’t you?” He said knowingly. That was as close to forgiving as he could get.

Aziraphale beamed at him in relief before shyly staring at his tumbler like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. He was also quite satisfied that Crowley’s eyes had resembled a human wearing snake eye contact lenses.

Crowley observed him for a bit longer before he felt sobered as the memories of a waning Aziraphale passed. “Though, you gave me quite a scare. I thought were dying.” He gave a nervous laugh. “Again.” He added.

Aziraphale gave a sheepish look at that. “Sorry.” He apologized. “I haven’t heard a call for help as clear as that before. I guess you could say I jumped before I thought better of it.” He admitted rather gingerly, sneaking a concerned look. He remembered how much the demon was affected when he was discoporated. “Silly mistake on my part.” He added rather delicately. “However, your aid was indispensable and for that I thank you.” 

He looked up at him with a guilty look. “Is there any way for me to repay that?”

Crowley stared at him for a bit, realising that the angel was trying to comfort him. He made a show as if he was contemplating it. “Dinner would be nice.” He shrugged, barely restraining an amused smile while trying to act nonchalant.

Aziraphale visibly brightened. "Oh, I found a new place you will like." He said while doing excited fluttery claps.

"So, I'll come around tomorrow 7-ish?" Crowley asked.

"Indeed, that would be appropriate." Aziraphale chirped as he finished his drink.

"Right, let me sober up first before I go back home." Crowley said as shivered, grimacing at the aftertaste. “That was bitter.” He complained as he stood up.

Aziraphale giggled again. “I’ll keep it mind.” He said with an amused lilt as he followed Crowley out.

**Author's Note:**

> It's not perfect but this is the best i could do after salvaging it. Thank you for reading it and for your time.


End file.
